Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think this is PC gone mad

68 replies

sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/06/2018 23:11

DS 17 is off to Sorrento on a Geography trip. Kit list had all the normal things you would expect but specifically stated only club football shirts allowed, please no England shirts as we do not want to upset the Italians who haven't qualified for the world cup. Are they really going to be that put out?

OP posts:
Iceweasel · 08/06/2018 23:13

Why do they need football shirts for a Geography trip? Confused

Storm4star · 08/06/2018 23:13

It’s probably more the fact that it’s possible it would be inflammatory and lead to fights and obviously a school do not want pupils getting injured on their watch. So I do kind of get it.

junebirthdaygirl · 08/06/2018 23:14

Its to do with football hooliganism. They might attract the attention of the wrong crowd and the school don't want any trouble. My ds in lreland was issued the same warning and l'm afraid the lrish football team are no threat to anyone. Its actually a wise instruction.

Original poster
sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/06/2018 23:14

They don't but they will be wearing shorts and t shirts and plenty of 17 year olds wear football shirts.

OP posts:
Iceweasel · 08/06/2018 23:22

There are 17 year olds that only wear England football shirts? Just pack something else. YABU

RebelRogue · 08/06/2018 23:25

They're trying to be sensible and avoid things that might cause conflict/arguments/fights. Oh and in school most "weird" requests mean that something happened previously that made them necessary.

It's not being PC.

ZibbidooZibbidooZibbidoo · 08/06/2018 23:29

It’s to prevent them being attacked by a crowd of drunk yobs. Something you would be in support of I’m sure?

Original poster
sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/06/2018 23:29

I get the hooligan thing, and he won't be wearing one, it just seemed strange that A) club shirts are allowed and B) the reason stated was not wanting to upset anyone. Why not just ban them altogether and say it's just in case they get caught up in any unpleasantness?

OP posts:
tinytemper66 · 08/06/2018 23:30

Sorrento is near Naples and that team has had a lot of problems, if I recall correctly.
I am not 💯% sure!

Original poster
sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/06/2018 23:32

They will be going into Naples @tinytemper so I get that but wouldn't club shirts have the same effects?

OP posts:
Lustrum · 08/06/2018 23:33

I don’t think you understand what ‘PC’ means. No England shirts is a perfectly sensible precaution.

LellyMcKelly · 08/06/2018 23:35

If you want to make your kid a sitting target then go ahead. Common sense should tell you it’s potentially inflammatory, particularly with England fans reputation abroad.

Tuttytoffee · 08/06/2018 23:45

I think they shouldn't be allowed to wear club shirts either if that's the case. I agree with you OP, their reasoning would be unreasonable but that's probably not the real reason.

RebelRogue · 08/06/2018 23:48

Because the school's aim is to have a nice and safe trip ,not word every letter to the individual parent's taste.

I mean your kid is 17,surely by now you've learned not to sweat the small stuff .

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/06/2018 23:49

I would imagine, having lived through the 80s, that a Liverpool shirt would be just as bad if not worse. English football hasn't had a stellar relationship with Italy.

donquixotedelamancha · 08/06/2018 23:50

To think this is PC gone mad

VelvetSpoon · 08/06/2018 23:51

I think it should be no football shirts full stop. If there is going to be any trouble (and it is only an if) I'd have thought it was no less likely with a Chelsea or Man U shirt than an England one.

As an aside I hope he enjoys Sorrento. The Italian side of my family are from nearby Ravello. I've always wanted to go but not made it there yet.

Raven88 · 08/06/2018 23:52

Why would anyone want to wear a football shirt. It makes you look like you are auditioning for Benefit Street.

blackteasplease · 08/06/2018 23:54

I don't think anyone would get offended by it specifically because Italy aren't in the World Cup. There could be football related fights, but I would think it would be just as likely if Italy were in the competition.

Maybe it's because English fans are generally not perceived well.

Original poster
sweeneytoddsrazor · 08/06/2018 23:56

I'm really not sweating it and I totally get the hooliganism side of things, but why not just say that. Is it really necessary to pretend the Italians might be upset they didn't qualify for the world cup rather than say. England fans have a bad reputation, Napoli fans have a bad reputation so don't do it why all the pussyfooting around is my issue more than the wearing of shirts. We are big football fans so I am perfectly aware of the reputation if Napoli fans and he hasn't packed his football shirts, but as has been stated club shirts can be just as bad.

OP posts:
CheeseyToast · 08/06/2018 23:58

Anyone who uses the moronic phrase "PC gone mad" needs to bigger off back to the 80s

RebelRogue · 08/06/2018 23:58

Because whomever wrote that letter wanted it worded that way. Simple.

MrsTerryPratchett · 09/06/2018 00:01

I'm actually musing that Italians don't really wear sports shirts as day attire. In fact, from my travels I would say only the British and some East Africans regard sports shirts as de rigeur. I haven't been everywhere of course.

Most people seem to wear them just for watching sports.

MumofBoysx2 · 09/06/2018 00:15

I think it's a good idea not to wear them, it's a bit 'in your face'. I don't think the place to be so patriotic as to wear England shirts en masse is in another country. Save it for when you go to a football match in the UK. Club shirts are OK, they presumably are pretty low key and not obviously from any particular country?

JazzyBlues · 09/06/2018 00:27

There's a big difference between wearing an England shirt and an Atletico Madrid shirt. The latter will cause no problems whatsoever while the former could lead to a significant bust up. That's why they're not all banned.